Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Vegas

It took me 41 years, but I finally made it to Vegas over Labor Day weekend. The drive from Tucson to Vegas is quite beautiful, so the 7 hours went by quickly. I particularly enjoyed a scenic stretch of road north of Wickenburg, AZ. Joshua trees filled the desert for miles, the perfect setting to listen to a little U2. There were warnings of long delays at the Hoover Dam, so that will have to wait for the next trip.

This trip was centered around Wisconsin football. The Badgers opened their season against UNLV, and I was just one of many using the game as an excuse to get together with friends for a long weekend. The Badgers easily won the game, but a lot of people lost money when they failed to cover the spread. The spread was 20.5, and the Badgers won by 20. If you know anything about sports gambling, those half points are notorious. I didn't have any money on the Badger game, but I did go 3-5 on my college football bets. I promptly gave my meager winnings right back at the blackjack table, but I managed to get out of town without breaking the bank.

Sunday night was the highlight of the trip. The Krieghoffs and I went to see The Beatles LOVE at the Mirage. It was a perfect combination of Beatles music and the acrobatic spectacle typical of the Cirque du Soleil shows. The storyline was a little vague, but the athleticism and artistry of the performance was amazing. It was a great way to end the weekend.

Vegas seems best in small doses, and I was more than ready to hit the road yesterday. I rolled out of town blasting the killers, Vegas finally under my belt. Now that I have the lay of the land, I can definitely see doing a family trip to Vegas.

Of course, sometimes the best part of going away is coming home. The girls had Welcome Home signs all over the house, and not much beats hearing your kids scream, "Dad's home!"